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Professor of Law Linda Beale to chair ABA committee

The new chair of an American Bar Association committee that sets and enforces ethical standards of conduct for tax lawyers will be Linda Beale, professor of law at Wayne State University Law School.

She’s the author of an award-winning and often-quoted blog called A Taxing Matter that makes money and tax issues easily understood, and also takes on American tax policies that “operate for the high and mighty,” in her words. The latest blog entry, “Fixing Sequestration (for the rich only),” tackles the Senate’s recent move to exempt air traffic controllers from the tax cuts that are impacting Head Start, indigent defense and many other federal programs.

Beale will assume the chair of the ABA’s Section of Taxation Committee on Standards of Tax Practice on July 1 for a two-year term. She previously served as vice-chair. As chair, Beale will have a chance to “affect the development and administration of the tax laws” through the group’s programs and projects, according to Michael Hirschfeld, chair-elect of the ABA Section of Taxation.

The committee also is charged with providing education to the public about taxes and tax systems, a calling already undertaken daily by Beale, who teaches courses on Corporate Taxation, Partnership Taxation and Income Taxation. Her well-read blog also serves as an education tool.

She has a bachelor of science degree in chemistry magna cum laude from Duke University, a master’s and a Ph.D. in linguistics from Cornell University, a J.D. summa cum laude from Cornell Law School, and an LL.M. in taxation from New York University. Before her law school career, she was a tax law practitioner, a Congressional staffer, a Peace Corps volunteer and a university administrator.

Beale is the author of numerous publications on tax policy, and is co-author of “Corporate Taxation,” a textbook for students earning LL.M. degrees in taxation.